Abstract
The effect of changing climate will not only be confined to limited production, and the productivity of agricultural commodities, but will also have far-reaching consequences on dairy, meat, wool and other animal products. The impact of climate change on the livestock sector as a whole will be felt more in tropical countries compared to temperate countries, largely because of the structure of production system and economics. The resultant pressure, both direct and indirect, is likely to result in further dilution of livestock diversity, which would specially affect the nutritional security and livelihood of small and marginal farmers. The challenge is to sustain genetic diversity and productivity by different adaptation strategies like production adjustment, breeding strategies, alteration of management systems, developing appropriate policies, scientific intervention and capacity building of livestock owners. In light of concerns over the impacts of climate change and climate variability, this chapter provides an overview of the opportunities for adaptation and mitigation strategies in tropical climatic conditions.